In a world full of remakes and revivals of everything from cars to movies, and all of widely varying quality, it’s a bit of a miracle that the 2021 Ford Bronco is so widely acclaimed. And seeing this modified 1978 Ford Bronco reminded us that things could have turned out very, very differently.
It is not an official Ford design. But it combines modern Ford pickup truck parts with a body from the first full-size Bronco SUV. The nose is from a Super Duty and the taillights are from an F-150. But the mixing and blending goes much deeper. The modern door handles of the truck have been fitted, as well as the modern bumpers and mirrors. The interior also comes from a King Ranch F-Series.
It really looks like Ford could have built it because of the meticulousness of all the parts. But it’s also credible because it’s not uncommon for US automakers to use pre-assembled parts to assemble new models. Heck, the old full-size Broncos were really just shortened F-150s. However, most Autoblog employees believe that this look really doesn’t work for some reason, regardless of the quality of the conversion.
At the very least, it’s probably a solid driver. Under the hood is a crate of 5.0-liter Coyote engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. It still has a two-speed transfer case with four-wheel drive, but power goes to the heavy eight-cam solid axles front and rear. The brakes have been upgraded to discs on all four corners. The builders have also neatly concealed a winch behind the front bumper, in case you take it just a little too far off-road.
If this alternative take on a modern Ford Bronco appeals to you, it will cross the street at the 2022 Mecum Kissimmee Auction, taking place January 6-16. The auction house estimates it could sell for between $160,000 and $175,000, or just a little more than a new Bronco with dealer upgrade.
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